The present invention pertains to an automotive accessory and particularly to an armrest with built-in accessories.
With the increasing popularity of fast food restaurants and carry-out stores, frequently occupants of automobiles will eat or drink while in the automobile, either when parked or in motion. There exists a variety of cup holders, for example, integrally formed in the glove compartment door or as accessories for a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,659 suggests a food tray and cup holder for use in connection with the armrest of a vehicle while U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,112 suggests a tray, including cup holders, mounted underneath the dash of a vehicle. A gimballed cup holder for use in connection with the armrest of a passenger seat of an airplane is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,187.
The systems disclosed by this prior art, although providing holders for cups, are somewhat shallow and therefore do not engage and surround the periphery of the cups to provide stable support. They are even less suitable for the holding of other beverage containers such as cans. Further, if the floor of the holder is solid, debris can easily collect therein and be difficult to remove.